CAR-T cells in solid tumors: Challenges and breakthroughs.

ABSTRACT: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has revolutionized the treatment of hematologic malignancies, but its efficacy in solid tumors is limited by several challenges. Key obstacles include insufficient CAR-T cell trafficking to tumors, limited expansion and persistence, tumor relapse due to antigen loss or heterogeneity, and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) that dampens CAR-T cell functions. In this review, we discuss insights from recent successful clinical trials in advanced solid tumors and highlight groundbreaking strategies integrating synthetic biology and gene engineering to enhance CAR-T cell fitness, potency, and persistence, activate host immunity, reprogram the TME, and enable multi-antigen targeting. We examine strengths and weaknesses of current precl

SUBMITTER: Escobar G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12711667 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature